Universal action work support



Dec. 19, 1967 A. F. ZYBAK ETAL 3,358,989

UNIVERSAL ACTION WORK SUPPORT Filed May 13, 1965 INVENTORS. ALEXANDER F. ZYBAK and CEDRIC C. STACK M. M M

Afws

United States Patent O 3,358,989 UNIVERSAL ACTION W SUPPQRT Alexander F. Zybak and Cedric C. Stack, Madison County, Ind, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Alexander IF. Zybak, Elwond, Ind.

Filed May 13, 1965, Ser. No. 455,492 6 Claims. (Cl. 269-71) The present invention relates to a universal action work support, and is primarily concerned with the provision of means for conveniently supporting, in substantially any desired attitude, the turntable assembly of a record player to facilitate construction, repair, testing or reconstruction of such an assembly.

While the work support has been designed primarily for supporting such turntable, assemblies, it will be apparent, as the description proceeds, that it may be equally applicable, either with or without slight structural changes, to the task of supporting other devices for similar purposes.

The primary objective of the invention is to provide a device including clamping means for solidly gripping an article and including, as well, articulation features of such character that the gripped article may be presented in any one of a large plurality of attitudes, relative to a worker, and will be held quite firmly in any such attitude during the performance of desired operations by such worker.

Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

T o the accomplishment of the above and related objects, our invention may be embodied in the form illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only, and that change may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described so long as the scope of the appended claims is not violated.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the work support to which the present invention is directed;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary sectional View of the distal portions of the work support, showing a fragment of a turntable assembly gripped and supported thereby;

FIG. 3 is a similarly enlarged, fragmental view of the proximal portion of the work support, mounted upon a table, bench or the like, and shown partly in section;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged, perspective view of the leaf element of the clamping device illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2; and

FIG. 5 is a similar view of the mating plate element of the clamping means.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral indicates generally a fragment of a conventionally illustrated turntable assembly comprising a base 11 fromed with a (usually continuous) downturned flange 12 and supporting a turntable 13.

The reference numeral 14 indicates generally the illustrated embodiment of our universal action work support which is adapted to be mounted upon a work bench, portable board or other convenient mounting indicated by the reference numeral 15 which will preferably be formed with one or more preferably vertical openings 16 therethrough.

The work support as shown comprises a base 17 formed with a preferably central threaded perforation 18 therethrough. An L-shaped arm 19, which may preferably be formed from bent, metal tubing, but which in any event will be hollow at its opposite ends, is formed to provide a horizontal section 20 and a vertical section 21. A block 22 is provided with a cylindrical extension 23 at one of ice its sides, said extension being snugly receivable in the hollow, open proximal end 24 of the arm section 20 and being suitably secured therein as, for instance, by means of a roll pin 25.

The block 22 is formed with a vertical bore 26 therethrough in which is snugly received a sleeve 27. An externally threaded tubular stud 28 snugly penetrates the sleeve 27 and has its lower end 29 threadedly received in the perforation 18 in the base 17. The stud 28 extends to a significant distance above the upper end of the sleeve 27 and the top surface of the block 22 and carries a nut 30 bearing upon the upper end of the sleeve 27. Said stud further carries an adjustable stop nut and a spring 33 is sleeved on the upward extension of the stud 28 and is confined between the block 22 and a washer 34 backed by said stop nut 31. Preferably, a friction-reducing wear plate 32 will be interposed between the block 22 and the base 17.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a bolt 35 penetrates the stud 28 and the opening 16 in the bench 15 and is threaded at its lower end to receive a securing nut 37 which preferably bears upon a washer 36 to secure the work support assembly in place on the bench 15.

At the distal end 38 of the vertical arm section 21, a sleeve 39 is snugly received in the hollow arm section and is suitably restrained against axial movement relative thereto. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a set screw 4t) penetrates the arm wall and engages the sleeve 39 thus to restrain the same; but any other suitable means, including mere frictional engagement of the sleeve 39 within the hollow arm section, may be utilized so to restrain said sleeve.

An axle 4i penetrates the sleeve 39 and extends significantly above and below said sleeve. Stop means 43 is carried at the lower end of the axle 41 and a spring 44 is sleeved on said axle and is confined between said stop means and the lower end of the sleeve 39.

An L-shaped bracket 45 is formed to provide an upstanding face 46 and a horizontal portion 47 formed with a perforation 4S therethrough. The threaded upper end 42 of the axle 41 penetrates the perforation 48 and carries an adjustable stop means 49 where-by said bracket is mounted, under the influence of the spring 44, for swiveling about the aXis of the vertical section 21 of the arm 19. A washer 50 may be interposed between the stop means 49 and the bracket portion 47. Near its upper end, the bracket portion 46 is formed with a perforation 51 therethrough.

Clamp means is indicated generally by the reference numeral 52 and is supported from the bracket 45 for adjustment about a horizontal axis, as will appear. Said clamp means comprises a rigid leaf indicated generally by the reference numeral 53 and formed to provide a table portion 54 flanked at one end by a substantially vertical portion 55. At its upper end, the leaf portion 55 is rebent as at 56 to define a portion 57 which is inclined downwardly and outwardly from said vertical portion 55 and which merges with the adjacent end of the table portion 54, so that said table portion is inclined upwardly and outwardly at an obtuse angle to the vertical portion 55. The leaf is further formed to define, at the outer end of the table portion, a second substantially vertical portion 58 with which merges a substantially horizontal tail portion 59. The first-named vertical portion 55 of the leaf is provided with a threaded aperture 60.

The leaf is brought into association with the bracket 45 with its vertical portion 55 facing the upstanding face 46 of the bracket and with the aperture 60 in registry with the perforation 51. A screw 61 passes freely through a the perforation 51 and is threadedly engaged in the aperture 60. The screw carries a handle 62 which is formed with a friction face 63 engageable with the bracket, when the screw 61 is turned up to draw the leaf portion 55 into solid engagement with the upstanding bracket face 46, to secure the leaf 53 atfirmatively against movement relative to the bracket 45. When, however, the handle 62 is backed even slightly away from the bracket, it will be apparent that the leaf 53 may be turned freely about the axis of the screw 61 to assume any desired attitude relative thereto, whereupon the handle 62 may again be turned into frictional engagement with the bracket to secure the leaf 53 in its new attitude.

A plate 64 is constructed and designed for mating association with the leaf 53. Said plate is formed to provide an intermediate portion 65 adapted to mate with the table 54 of the leaf 53, and with an upstanding portion 66 at one end of said intermediate portion. A book 67 is defined at the upper end of the plate portion 66 and is adapted to be received in, and to penetrate, a slot 68 in the portion 56 of the leaf 53. Said hook defines upwardly facing shoulders 69 which are adapted to bear upon the leaf portion 57. Thereby, the plate 64 is hinge-d to the leaf 53.

At the end of the table 65 remote from the portion 66, the plate 64 is formed to provide an upstanding portion 70 merging with a distal tail portion 71.

The table 54 is formed with a perforation 72 and the table portion 65 is formed with a threaded aperture 73 adapted, when the hook 67 is engaged in the slot 68, to register with the perforation 72. A screw 74 freely penetrates the perforation 72 and is threadedly engageable in the. aperture 73. Said screw carries a handle 75; and it will be seen that, when the screw is turned up tightly, the righthand end of the plate 64 will be drawn toward the portions 58 and 59 of the leaf 53, and when the screw 74 is backed away, the righthand end of the plate will drop away from said leaf in the manner suggested in FIG. 1.

With the parts in the positions of FIG. 1, the flange 12 of the base 11 of a turntable assembly may be entered between the tail portions 59 and 71 to bring the flange 12 into abutment with the leaf portion 58. Now, when the handle 75 is manipulated to tighten the screw 74, the plate 64 will be moved into the position of FIG. 2, whereby the flange 12 will be gripped between the portions 58 and 70 while the peripheral region of the base 11 will be gripped between the tail portions 59 and 71. Now, the arm 19 may be moved to any position about the axis of the stud 28 and the bracket 45 may be moved to any position about the axis of the axle 41; and selected positions of adjustment about those axes will be maintained frictionally by the effect of the springs 33 and 44. It will be understood that any desired degree of frictional retention can be achieved at either of these axes by adjustment of the stops 31 or 49.

Additionally,the attitude of the clamping means 52 and so of the assembly 10, relative to the axis of the screw 61 may be readily adjusted, and any such attitude selected may be maintained by tightening the screw 61.

We claim as our invention:

1. A device of the class described comprising a base, an L-shaped arm swivel mounted at its proximal end on said base, a bracket swivel mounted at the distal end of said arm, and clamp means adjustably secured to said bracket, said clamp means comprising a rigid leaf extending away from said bracket at an obtuse angle and formed to provide a table spaced from said bracket, an inclined portion interposed between said bracket and said table, an oppositely-inclined portion at the end of said table remote from said bracket, and a tail portion extending substantially perpendicularly from said oppositely-inclined portion away from said table, a mating member formed to provide an intermediate portion for mating association with said leaf table and formed at one end with an inclined portion and a tail portion conforming to said leaf oppositely-inclined portion and tail portion, the opposite end of said mating member being hingedly connected to said leaf between said bracket and said leaf table, and screw means cooperatively engaging said leaf and said mating member and operative to move said inclined portion and tail portion of said mating member into and out of clamping relation with said oppositely-inclined portion. and tail portion of said leaf.

2. A device -of the class described comprising a horizontal base; an arm having a horizontal section and an upstanding section; means mounting said horizontal section on said base to swing about a vertical axis; a bracket formed'to provide an upstanding face; means mounting said bracket on said upstanding section of said arm to swing about the axis of said upstanding arm section; a leaf formed to provide a substantially vertical portion, a rebent portion merging with the upper end of said vertical portion and with a portion inclined downwardly and outwardly from said vertical portion, a table portion merging with said downwardly and outwardly inclined portion and inclined upwardly and outwardly relative to said vertical portion, a second substantially vertical portion merging with the outer end 'of said table portion,

and a substantially horizontal tail portion extending from said second substantially vertical portion; means adjustably securing said first-namedvertical portion of said leaf to said upstanding face of said bracket; a plate formed to provide an intermediate portion substantially commensurate with said leaf table portion, an upstanding portion at one end of said intermediate portion bearing on the lower surface of said leaf downwardly and out wardly inclined portion, and portions at the other end of said intermediate portion conforming to said second substantially vertical portion and substantially horizontal portion of said leaf; and screw means cooperatively engaging said leaf and said plate and operative to move said plate toward and away from said leaf.

3. The device of claim 2 in which said base is formed with a vertical perforation therethrough and said firstnamed means comprises a block to which said horizontal arm section is fixed, said block being formed with a vertical bore therethrough registering with said base perforation, stud means penetrating said perforation and said bore and extending upwardly beyond said block, stop means vertically adjustably supported from said stud means above said block, and spring means sleeved on said stud means and confined between said block and said stop means.

4. The device of claim 3 including a friction-reducing wear plate interposed between said block and said base.

5. The device of claim 2 in which the upper end of the upstanding section of said arm is hollow, said bracket is formed to provide a horizontal portion having a perforation therethrough, and the means mounting said bracket on said upstanding arm section comprises a sleeve positioned in said hollow arm end and restrained against axial movement relative thereto, an axle axially penetrating said sleeve, the lower end of said axle extending below said sleeve and the upper end of said axle penetrating said perforation, stop means adjustably carried at the upper end of said axle and bearing on the upper surface of said horizontal bracket portion, stop means carried by said axle and spaced below said sleeve, and spring means sleeved on said axle and confined between said sleeve and said last-named stop means.

6. The device of claim 2 in which the upstanding face of said bracket is formed with a perforation, the firstnamed substantially vertical portion of said leaf is formed with a threaded aperture therethrough registering with said bracket perforation, and the means adjustably securing said leaf to said bracket comprises a screw having a handle at 'one end, said screw freely penetrating said perforation and threadedly penetrating said aperture, said References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 373,362 11/1887 Hamilton 269239 X 698,572 4/1902 Smith 248-316 Bond 26975 X Mahannah 26971 Rathbun 26971 X Ertman 269239 X ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner.

JAMES F. MCKEOWN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISING A BASE, AN L-SHAPED ARM SWIVEL MOUNTED AS ITS PROXIMAL END ON SAID BASE, A BRACKET SWIVEL MOUNTED AT THE DISTAL END OF SAID ARM, AND CLAMP MEANS ADJUSTABLY SECURED TO SAID BRACKET, SAID CLAMP MEANS COMPRISING A RIGID LEAF EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID BACKET AT AN OBTUSE ANGLE AND FORMED TO PROVIDE A TABLE SPACED FROM SAID BRACKET, AN INCLINED PORTION INTERPOSED BETWEEN SAID BRACKET AND SAID TABLE, AN OPPOSITELY-INCLINED PORTION AT THE END OF SAID TABLE REMOTE FROM SAID BRACKET, AND A TAIL PORTION EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PERPENDICULARLY FROM SAID OPPOSITELY-INCLILNED PORTION AWAY FROM SAID TABLE, A MATING MEMBER FORMED TO PROVIDE AN INTERMEDIATE PORTION FOR MATING ASSOCIATION WITH SAID LEAF TABLE AND FORMED AT ONE END WITH AN INCLINED PORTION AND A TAIL PORTION CONFORMING TO SAID LEAF OPPOSITELY-INCLINED PORTION AND TAIL PORTION, THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID MATING MEMBER BEING HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID LEAF BETWEEN SAID BRACKET AND SAID LEAF TABLE, AND SCREW MEANS COOPERATIVELY ENGAGING SAID LEAF AND SAID MATING MEMBER AND OPERATIVE TO MOVE AID INCLINED PORTION AND TAIL PORTION OF SAID MATING MEMBER INTO AND OUT OF CLAMPING RELATION WITH SAID OPPOSITELY-INCLINED PORTION AND TAIL PORTION OF SAID LEAF. 